Muscle Strength, Vo2peak, Body Composition And Quality Of Life In Hiv-1 Infected Individuals

Abstract

PURPOSE: To determine the influence of muscle strength, peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and body adiposity in the physical, psychological and social domains of the quality of life (QOL) in HIV-1 infected individuals. METHODS: Sample was constituted by 41 HIV-1 infected men individuals (25–66 year-old [40.75 ± 8.68 years]) of the Secondary Immunodeficiency Ambulatory from Hospital das Clínicas (Faculty of Medicine - USP). Physical (PHY), psychological (PSY) and social (SOC) domains of the QOL were determined through WHOQOL-Bref questionnaire. Muscle strength was established through right knee extension in an isokinetic dynamometer in which the volunteers performed 5 repetitions at the 60°·s-1. VO2peak was directly measured breath-to-breath through modifed Heck protocol during cardiopulmonary exercise testing in a metabolic equipment. We also measured the total body adiposity through the sum of eight skinfolds (biceps [BI], triceps [TRI], subscapular [SB], suprailiac [SI], abdominal [ABD], midaxillary [MA], anterior thigh [AT] and medial calf [MC]) as well as central (SB, SI, ABD and MA) and peripheral body adiposity. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant correlation among VO2peak and QOL (PHY, r: 0.16; PSY, r: 0.04; SOC, r: 0.22]). The same phenomenon was observed when total (PHY, r: 0.11; PSY, r: −0.01; SOC, r: 0.01), central (PHY, r: 0.12; PSY, r: 0.001; SOC, r: 0.03) or peripheral body adiposity (PHY, r: 0.09; PSY, r: −0.04; SOC, r: −0.03) as well as the muscle strength (PSY, r: 0.08; SOC, r: 0.23) were correlated with QOL. Nevertheless, it was observed a statistically significant correlation when the PHY domain was associated with the muscle strength (r:0.31). CONCLUSION: Muscle strength, VO2peak and body composition does not influence the PHY (unless for muscle strength), PSY and SOC domains of the QOL in HIV-1 infected men individuals.